Parked truck catches fire, hits house

By
Sonny Long
April 27, 2012 at 7:02 a.m.Updated April 26, 2012 at 11:27 p.m.

Eufemia Uresti thought someone was knocking on her door about 2 a.m. Friday, but when she noticed how bright it was outside, she knew differently.

"You better believe I was scared," Uresti said when she saw the flames that were leaping at her house from her son's pickup parked nearby. "I am so happy I woke up and we all got out. I thank the good Lord."

Uresti, her son Michael Uresti and his two children, ages 11 and 9, all escaped from the house unharmed.

Victoria County Assistant Fire Marshal David Phillips said his preliminary investigation indicates an electrical fire in a 1997 Dodge Ram could be the culprit.

"The truck was parked about eight to 10 feet away. Apparently it had an electrical fire that shorted out the starter and caused the standard transmission to engage. It was in gear. The truck lurched forward and struck the house," Phillips said, emphasizing the cause of the fire continued to be under investigation and his initial findings were preliminary.

About 1:52 a.m. Victoria firefighters responded to the fire in the 2100 block of Lower Mission Valley Road.

"Most of the damage was limited to the exterior of the home and the interior of the attic," said Battalion Chief Shannon Martin. "Occupants were home, but no one was injured."

Uresti said her grandchildren tried to console her as they watched firefighters put out the blaze.

"I was crying," she said. "The grandkids kept saying it was OK. We were outside and we were safe."